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Fluffybunny 44

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush says he now sees that tough talk can have an "unintended consequence."

During a round-table interview with reporters from 14 newspapers, the president, who not long ago declined to identify any mistakes he'd made during his first term, expressed misgivings for two of his most famous expressions: "Bring 'em on," in reference to Iraqis attacking U.S. troops, and his vow to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive."

"Sometimes, words have consequences you don't intend them to mean," Bush said Thursday.

"'Bring 'em on' is the classic example, when I was really trying to rally the troops and make it clear to them that I fully understood, you know, what a great job they were doing. And those words had an unintended consequence. It kind of, some interpreted it to be defiance in the face of danger. That certainly wasn't the case."

On other points, Bush said:

He wants Congress to approve major changes in the Social Security program before the end of May. Many Democrats and some Republicans in Congress oppose Bush's proposal, which may entail steep reductions in future benefits.

Baseball's new policy for steroids and other drugs is "a very strict policy and I want to congratulate both parties."

Four years as president have changed him. "They say my hair is grayer. But I come from a pretty white-haired gene pool. At least half of it."

On July 2, 2003, two months after he had declared an end to major combat in Iraq, Bush promised U.S. forces would stay until the creation of a free government there.

To those who would attack U.S. forces in an attempt to deter that mission, Bush said, "My answer is, Bring 'em on."

In the week after the September 11 attacks, Bush was asked if he wanted bin Laden, the terrorist leader blamed for the attacks, dead.

"I want justice," Bush said. "And there's an old poster out West, that I recall, that said, 'Wanted, Dead or Alive."'

Recalling that remark, Bush told the reporters: "I can remember getting back to the White House, and Laura said, 'Why did you do that for?' I said, 'Well, it was just an expression that came out. I didn't rehearse it.'

"I don't know if you'd call it a regret, but it certainly is a lesson that a president must be mindful of, that the words that you sometimes say. ... I speak plainly sometimes, but you've got to be mindful of the consequences of the words. So put that down. I don't know if you'd call that a confession, a regret, something."

During his second debate last year with presidential challenger Sen. John Kerry, Bush was asked to name three instances in which he had made a wrong decision.

At the time he declined to identify any specific mistakes.

Reporters at Thursday's round-table also asked Bush about the high price tag for his second inaugural celebration and suggestions the $40 million gala, which is being paid for by private donations -- much of it coming from lobbyists and corporations -- be scaled down.

"The inauguration is a great festival of democracy," he said. "People are going to come from all over the country who are celebrating democracy and celebrating my victory, and I'm glad to celebrate with them."

The newspapers participating in the round-table interview were the Detroit Free Press, the St. Petersburg (Florida) Times, The (Portland) Oregonian, the (Little Rock) Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, The Miami Herald, The Kansas City (Missouri) Star, The (Phoenix) Arizona Republic, the Portland (Maine) Press Herald, The Hartford (Connecticut) Courant, the Orlando (Florida) Sentinel, The (Columbia, South Carolina) State, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and the St. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer-Press.

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Babs 0

Bush doesn't have to apologize_ people are saying, here, today. The media and others took his comments out of context and proceeded to slaughter him. After 911, Bush was a very emotional guy, and so were all of us.

He doesn't have to explain his patriotism to us.... we understood him, and felt the same. He said things in a time when they needed to be said. Our country needs a strong president.

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stillcrazy 0

SONYA STONE: I would like to introduce my mom. This is my mother, Rhoda Stone. And she is grandmother of three, and originally from Helsinki, Finland, and has been here over 40 years.

DUBYA: Fantastic. Same age as my mother.

SONYA STONE: Just turned 80.

-- Dubya displays his psychic powers by guessing the age of this woman's grandmother, Washington, D.C., Jan. 11, 2005

I'm also looking forward to the Iraqi elections on January the 30th. This is an extraordinary year, when you think about it. In the first month of a new year, there will be an election in -- in the Palestinian territory and there will be an election in Iraq. Who could have possibly envisioned an erect-sh -- an election in Iraq at this point in history?

-- Dubya comes half a syllable away from clearly saying "erection". I'm impressed he managed to stop himself at all. Of course the White House crew performed the mop up work on the official transcript, and the video coverage they provided for this appearance was conveniently replaced with the video for a completely different event, White House, Jan. 10, 2005

And it was hard leadin' up the Afghan elections, as you remember. There was the lot of talk about how the -- somebody was gonna get killed and they couldn't vote. And sure enough, when people were given a chance, millions of people showed up, and the first voter was a woman in a country where women had been savaged by the former government run by the Taliban. So, look, I know it's hard.

-- "And sure enough" was not the phrase I was expecting given the gloomy lead-in, and Dubya claiming he understands how it is for poor Afghanis voting under threat of death? That's just funny. White House, Jan. 7, 2005

I want everybody to vote. And I understand that parts of the Sunni area are being targeted by these killers. And their message is, if you vote, we'll kill you. But their real message is, is that we can't stand democracy. And -- you know -- if the free world steps back and lets these people have their way, it'll be we can't stand democracy here, and then we can't stand democracy there, and we'll never address the root causes of terror and hatred -- which is frustration caused by tyranny.

And why is it [asbestos lawsuits] a national problem? Well, first of all, we spend about $80 billion on asbestos litigation, and that could end up being $200 billion over time. Secondly, these asbestos suits have bankrupted a lot of companies, and that affects the workers here in Michigan and around the country. Thirdly, those with no major medal impairment now make up the vast majority of claims, while those who are truly sick are denied their day in court.

-- When Dubya gets to the most plausible reason he has to call asbestos lawsuits a national problem, he kinda blows it, Clinton Township, Michigan, Jan. 7, 2005

To address the cost of medical care, we need to apply 21st century information technology to the health care field. We need to have our medical records put on the IT.

-- I'm not sure how you put records on the IT, but it sounds high-tech enough, Collinsville, Illinois, Jan. 5, 2005

Thanks for waiting on me. I had a visit with some of the -- some folks from the area here. A neurosurgeon, a cardiologist, the administrator of a hospital, OB/GYN, a patient, all about the health care crisis that exists here in this part of the world.

-- For you folks keeping score, this time "this part of the world" means Illinois. Collinsville, Illinois, Jan. 5, 2005

I want to thank all the good folks who provide health care for the folks in this part of the world, the nurses, the docs, the administrators. Thank you all for coming. Thanks for your compassion. Thanks for your care. Thanks for taking an active interest in an important issue that faces not only this part of the world, but the country.

When doctors move or close their practices, guess who suffers? The patients, the people who live in these good towns in this part of the world.

-- There's no stopping him now, Collinsville, Illinois, Jan. 5, 2005

A few years ago, Chris decided that closing his head trauma part of his practice was the only way he could afford to stay in this area. He told me he loves living here in this part of the world.

-- Dubya rings in the New Year with his first-ever recorded "this part of the world" five-peat! Collinsville, Illinois, Jan. 5, 2005

She had a choice to make, quit practicing medicine or go broke. She said, "I don't want to quit practicing medicine and I'm not going broke, so I'm going to move to Colorado." You lost a good soul from this part of the world because the system is out of control.

Unfortunately, this is not just a story confined to this part of the world. This is a story of pregnant moms all over America who are wondering whether or not they're going to be able to find good quality health care for their child and themselves.

-- I give up... Collinsville, Illinois, Jan. 5, 2005

I've come to this part of the world because I want to assure you that, one, I understand the problem and I intend to work with Congress to do something about it.

-- Someone please make it stop. Collinsville, Illinois, Jan. 5, 2005

I believe we are called to do the hard work to make our communities and quality of life a better place.

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stillcrazy 0

It seems that no one can answer the question. How did he keep the Average American alive? Or more to the original question, name four things he has done for the average American.

Great leaders have a quality he does not. The ability to speak to the common person, and to the masses.

Churchill, Kennedy, King, Hitler, Hamilton, Sadat, and a whole list of others. In case your wondering why I included Hitler, is that even though he was a tyrant and murderous b******, his oratory skills are what got him in power.

Reagan, Nixon, Clinton, Johnson Eisenhower all had the ability to influence people through their speaking skills.

I am sorry for all you head in the sand bush supporters who can't seem to understand that words, not just actions are what are going to lead the U.S. and our supporters in a win against terrorism. If a neutral party cannot understand your oratory on why they should support us, they will not back us.

When phrases like "bring it on", "Crusade" and so many more mis-steps are made, it demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of other cultures.

And not to burst anyones bubble, but the U.S. is not the only country on this planet.

I'm sorry, But Mr. Bush's skills as a orator and speaker for the American people leave a lot to be desired.